Caring Safe Schools Ontario

Mental Health Problemsn According to Children’s Mental Health Ontario (2002), one in five children andyouths in Ontario will struggle with his or her mental health. More than 500,000young people in Ontario suffer from a diagnosable mental health problem, such asanxiety, that may manifest itself in behaviour such as bullying or an eating disorder.According to Statistics Canada (Health Canada, 2002), teenagers and young adultsaged fifteen to twenty-four experience the highest incidence of mental disorders ofany age group in Canada. Research has shown that:✦✦as many as one in five teenagers have experienced a major mental disorder(McGee, Feehan, Williams, et al., 1990, as cited on Canadian Mental HealthAssociation [CMHA] website);✦✦mental health problems, including serious mental illness, are more likely toemerge between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four than at any other stage oflife (Canadian Psychiatric Association, 1993, as cited on CMHA website);✦✦depression, stress, suicide, and eating disorders are issues of concern for teens;and fear, embarrassment, peer pressure, and stigma are barriers to getting help(Canadian Psychiatric Association, 1993, as cited on CMHA website).It is important to distinguish between mental illness and more common mentalhealth problems. 4 The term “mental illness” refers to a diagnosable condition thatusually requires medical treatment. It encompasses a range of psychiatric andemotional problems of varying degrees of intensity and duration that may recurfrom time to time. Major mental illnesses include mood, psychotic, and anxietydisorders. The most common mental illnesses among children and youth (to ageseventeen) are anxiety disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity, conduct disorder,depression, and substance abuse (Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-TermCare, 2009, p. 13).Some challenges students with mental illness may face include the following:✦✦Screening out environmental stimuli – an inability to block out sounds, sights,or odours that interfere with focusing on tasks✦✦Sustaining concentration – restlessness, shortened attention span, distractibility,difficulty remembering oral directions✦✦Maintaining stamina – limited energy, leading to difficulty in putting in a fullday in school and/or difficulty in combating drowsiness caused by medications✦✦Handling time pressures and multiple tasks – difficulty managing assignments,meeting deadlines, and prioritizing tasks✦✦Interacting with others – difficulty getting along, fitting in, chatting with fellowstudents, and reading social cues4. This discussion is adapted from Canadian Mental Health Association (n.d.), “Mental Problems and MentalIllness”, http://www.cmha.ca/highschool/t_intro3.htm.)Understanding Student Behaviour27